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Meet Our Mavericks :: Simon Barrett :: The National Grid

Author: Pru Chapman,
Founder of Owners Collective

Pru Chapman is the Founder + Head Hustler at Owners Collective, a dedicated digital community and global online resource hub for early stage entrepreneurs. Pru gets giddy supporting business owners to create meaningful, sustainable + profitable businesses. She loves nothing more than a long black, post Crossfit session.

SB: The National Grid is a Graphic Design Studio based in Sydney. We work on designing & refining brands with all the thought & effort we can give. We are a team of individually talented souls with a wonderful ability of delivering cut through design in a visually cluttered world.

OC: HOW DO YOU DEFINE SUCCESS?

SB: Success is getting a good piece of creative out there & a happy client.

OC: WHAT SACRIFICES HAVE YOU HAD TO MAKE TO BE A SUCCESSFUL ENTREPRENEUR?

SB: Lack of Sleep, Lack of weekends, lack of attention to other things in life & lack of fingernails

OC: WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY?

SB: When a plan comes together. When wonderful ideas get thrown around our studio. When an end result of a project looks amazing & when a client loses their shit* over the result (positive losing of shit)

OC: TELL US ABOUT A HIGH POINT IN YOUR CAREER

SB: Taking on the space we have as our studio & turning it into a wonderland. Having Reg Mombassa – One of the original Mambo Artists Launch our second Company The Drawing Arm :: Illustration Agency

OC: NOW TELL US ABOUT A LOW POINT

SB: Working solidly for two months on all the design & marketing collateral for a music festival, having a full team & freelancers working on it to get the job out before christmas. Only to be told the Festival had gone bankrupt & we wouldn’t be getting paid for two months work.

OC: WHAT DID YOU NEED TO KNOW TO GET OUT OF THERE?

SB: To think on our feet, To get our heads down & get more work & quickly.

SB: To trust your team, to try & surround ourselves with fiercely talented people & let them bring their skills to the table. To not try everything.

OC: HOW DO YOU GENERATE NEW IDEAS?

SB: Ideas are everywhere. The more you see everywhere you go, the more opportunity to throw rad at a project. Brains are like record collections, flick through the records & there’s always a trigger point.

OC: IF YOU HAD A CHANCE TO START YOUR CAREER OVER AGAIN, WHAT WOULD YOU DO DIFFERENTLY?

SB: Get our own brand in top order before the mayhem begins. Often your own branding & product are the last thing that get any attention, yet it’s the first thing others see. Make sure you have everything in order so when you get asked what your elevator pitch is, your straight on it. Know your own brand inside out & have beautiful selling tools.

OC: IF YOU COULD SHARE ONE PIECE OF BUSINESS ADVICE WITH OTHERS, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

SB: As Above! Get your shit in order. Look & sound great. Customer Service should always be Number One.